Male support worker assists a woman using a wheelchair at a park, showing everyday NDIS support and inclusion for people with acquired brain injury and the NDIS

Acquired Brain Injury and the NDIS: What You Need to Know!

Acquired brain injury is part of everyday life for many people and families across Australia.

It is also a significant disability group supported by the NDIS, particularly for adults and young people who need ongoing help with thinking, communication, daily living and community participation following an injury to the brain.

At Lifely, we support people with acquired brain injury of all ages across regional Victoria, Melbourne’s outer west and border communities in New South Wales and South Australia. In some situations, we may also support people in other locations based on individual needs.

Our approach is local, respectful and focused on what matters to you. Lifely has more than 40 years’ experience supporting people with disability, working alongside individuals, families, carers and communities.

We use the social model of disability. This means we focus on the environment, attitudes and supports around a person, not on “fixing” them. This approach shapes how we deliver acquired brain injury and NDIS supports every day.

This guide explains acquired brain injury and the NDIS in simple, easy-to-read language.

What Is Acquired Brain Injury?

Acquired brain injury, often shortened to ABI, is damage to the brain that happens after birth.

An ABI can affect a person’s:

Memory and concentration
Thinking, planning and problem-solving
Communication and social skills
Emotions, behaviour and mental health
Physical movement, balance or coordination
Ability to manage everyday tasks

Unlike some other disabilities, acquired brain injury is not present from birth. It can happen at any age and may be sudden or gradual.

Common causes of acquired brain injury include:

Stroke
Traumatic brain injury, such as from a fall, car accident or assault
Brain infection
Lack of oxygen to the brain
Brain tumour or medical complications
Substance-related brain injury

Every brain injury is different. Two people with a similar injury can have very different strengths, challenges and support needs.

People use different language to describe their experience. Some people say they have an acquired brain injury, others may say brain injury or brain damage. At Lifely, we always use the words you prefer.

How Common Is Acquired Brain Injury?

Acquired brain injury is more common than many people realise and affects individuals and families across Australia.

Based on analysis of the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ 2003 Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers, around 1 in 45 Australians, or about 432,700 people, were living with an acquired brain injury that caused activity limitations or participation restrictions due to disability. Almost three-quarters of these people were under the age of 65, showing that ABI often affects people during their working and family years.

Acquired brain injury also affects children. Around 20,000 children under the age of 15 were living with ABI at the time of the survey.

People with acquired brain injury are more likely to experience complex disability. On average, they reported more disability types and more health conditions than other people with disability. Many people need support with both the physical and non-physical impacts of brain injury.

ABI becomes more common with age. People aged 65 years and over were more than twice as likely to have ABI with activity limitations or participation restrictions compared to those under 65. At the same time, ABI rates were higher for males than females at all ages.

For people under 65 years, acquired brain injury was the main disabling condition for around 27,300 people. For more than half of this group, traffic injury was the main cause of their brain injury.

The impacts of ABI are often hidden. More than one in three people under 65 with ABI needed help with cognitive and or emotional tasks, such as memory, planning, decision-making or managing emotions.

These figures help explain why access to timely, coordinated and ongoing support through acquired brain injury and the NDIS is so important.

How Acquired Brain Injury Can Affect Everyday Life

Acquired brain injury can affect people differently over time, and support needs may change as life circumstances change.

Some people may:

Feel tired or overwhelmed more easily
Have difficulty remembering appointments or instructions
Struggle with conversations or social cues
Find planning, organising or decision-making hard
Experience changes in mood, personality or behaviour
Need support to live independently
Need assistance to return to work

Life transitions such as returning home from hospital, changing work, or moving house can be particularly challenging after a brain injury.

Does the NDIS Support People With Acquired Brain Injury?

Yes. The NDIS does fund support for people with acquired brain injury when the impacts of the injury are permanent or likely to be ongoing.

Many NDIS participants with ABI receive support with:

Daily living and personal care
Communication and decision-making
Building routines and structure
Community access and social connection
Returning to work, study or volunteering

NDIS funding is not means-tested, is based on individual support needs, and looks different for every person.

What Supports Can the NDIS Fund?

Depending on your goals and needs, acquired brain injury and NDIS supports may include:

Occupational therapy
Speech pathology
Psychology or counselling
Behaviour support
Support at home or in the community
Help with routines, memory and planning
Social and life skills development
Support with work, study or volunteering

How Lifely Supports People With Acquired Brain Injury

Lifely has more than 40 years’ experience supporting children, teens and adults with disability, including people living with acquired brain injury.

Where reasonable and necessary, our services can support people with ABI to build confidence, develop everyday skills, stay connected to their community and work towards personal goals at their own pace.

Our intake team takes the time to understand your situation and help you find the right supports.

NDIS supports

One-on-one support
Personalised support for children, teens and adults in Bendigo and Mildura, including nearby towns within about 40 km of each CBD. Other locations may be considered based on individual needs.

Non-NDIS Supports

Carer and family support
Available in Bendigo and Mildura for unpaid carers of people with disability. Includes in-home respite, family holidays, carer support groups and a young carer social group.

Find out how Lifely supports families and carers

All-abilities sport
Bendigo Netball for All, Mildura Basketball for All and Mildura Dancing for All. Junior and senior participants welcome. No NDIS required.

Learn more about our all-abilities sports teams

Outside School Hours Care (OSHC)
High-intensity after-school and holiday programs for children with disabilities attending specialist schools in Bendigo, Melton and Sunbury.

Learn more about OSHC at Lifely
Learn more about the high-intensity OSHC program